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XxxHOLiC
xxxHOLiC is a manga written and illustrated by the group of manga artists known as Clamp. It was first broadcasted on April 6, 2006 on TBS (Tokyo Broadcasting System). The first season ended on September 28 and was 24 chapters long. The second season aired on April 3, 2008 in Japan and it has the title ×××HOLiC♦KEI, 13 episodes were produced. Both the movie and TV series have been licensed by Funimation for the USA. The storyline of xxxHolic crosses over with that of a number of other Clamp series. About the title CLAMP decided to change to uppercase the letters h'', ''o, l'' and ''c of the title, which is why it's possible to find references with the title written in a different way. The same happens with the "x"s, in the U.S. version they are in lower case, though it may be possible to see them in uppercase since they don't reference the letter "x", but it's the multiplication sign. In Japan, this cross (a popular sign to signify multiply) is referenced to a relation or a connection between objects. These three crosses are because in the manga some characters suffer for their affections to some objects. In the U.S. the series have been renamed as HOLiC, because the "x"s are often confused with the western reference about the occult or omitted, and being three, with porn. In English it's possible to add -''holic'' to any word so it becomes into a compound word, referring to the addiction towards that object. Examples: alcoholic, shopaholic, or workaholic. In ×××HOLiC: A Midsummer Night Dream, it used the word "holic" to refer to the fanatic collectors and addicts. Despite the title being written "×××'HOLiC", the pronunciation is only hólic, since the "x"s are multiplying signs and must not be pronounced. On the Latin-American channel Animax, we can hear the correct pronunciation of the title. Plot Summary xxxHOLiC is the story of Watanuki Kimihiro (family - given), a bewildered boy with the "power" to see spirits and ghosts. One day, as Watanuki is being chased by ghosts, his visions are dispelled as he touches the fence of a strange house. As he gets up, he is dragged into the house, and meets a "shop owner" named Ichihara Yuko. Yuko is actually a powerful witch who runs a shop that grants all kinds of wishes, but asks for a price of equal value. She almost automatically senses that Watanuki has the power of spiritual sight, and makes a deal with him so that he can be rid of his "curse". Instead of paying a price upfront, he can work at her shop until he earns enough credit to get his wish granted. Although Watanuki does menial tasks, this experience at Yuko's shop is one not to be forgotten. Watanuki's job consists of small errands dealing with the supernatural and household chores. His love interest, Himawari Kunogi, and "rival", Shizuka Dōmeki, occasionally join him in his work as per Yūko's request and the three become increasingly close despite Watanuki's annoyance with Dōmeki. The world of xxxHolic is directly connected to several other of Clamp's works through dimensional traveling. The series is directly connected to Tsubasa: Reservoir Chronicle, while other series including Cardcaptor Sakura, Legal Drug, and Magic Knight Rayearth are referenced at different times. It was originally expected to end at the same time as Tsubasa, however this point in the continuity was crossed and lead to a new arc. Yūko constantly refers to hitsuzen (必然?), meaning inevitability, destiny, or fate, as being the driving force in the world. She states that there is no such thing as coincidence, and that every single action and decision is inevitable, because without them, other related events in the future could not happen. Characters Kimihiro Watanuki Kimihiro Watanuki (四月一日君尋 Watanuki Kimihiro) is a typical high school student living on his own. He is down-to-earth and selfless, but also very irritable, especially when it comes to Yūko's lavish demands and Dōmeki's stoic attitude. Watanuki begins working for Yūko in exchange for the fulfillment of his wish to never see spirits again. Apart from Dōmeki and Himawari, Watanuki does not seem to have any friends at school; in fact, Yūko teases him about being unpopular. Yūko Ichihara Yūko Ichihara (壱原 侑子 Ichihara Yūko) is a very powerful witch, mostly known for her ability to send people to other dimensions and times (sometimes called "The Dimensional Witch"), and for her ability to grant any wish in exchange for an equal cost. Despite her seemingly immature and free-spirited attitude, Yūko is also sage-like and serious when the time calls for it. Shizuka Dōmeki Shizuka Dōmeki (百目鬼 静 Dōmeki Shizuka) is Watanuki's classmate and one-sided rival. He is part of the school's archery club and often participates in school competitions. He lives in a shrine owned by his late grandfather. Dōmeki's personality sharply contrasts with Watanuki's, as he is calm and often sarcastic. Dōmeki has the ability to rid evil spirits and is immune to most curses, mostly due to his ancestry and his upbringing in his grandfather's temple. Himawari Kunogi Himawari Kunogi (九軒 ひまわり Kunogi Himawari) is Watanuki's main love interest. She is a kind and caring girl, but inadvertently brings bad luck to everyone she comes into contact with, with the exception of her parents and Dōmeki. Maru and Moro Maru and Moro are beings that were created by Yuko Ichihara. They look like eight year old children and are always happy and playful and are rarely seen sad or angry. Neither Maru nor Moro can step outside the boundries of the shop since they are really soul-les and are considered "empty shells" (just bodies). Mokona Modoki Mokona Modoki are rabbit like creatures. There are two Mokonas: Larg and Soel. larg is the black mokona who is a secondary character and comic relief in xxxHolic while Soel, the white Mokona, was sent off with the Tsubasa Protagonists to help them on their journey. Both Mokonas were created by the combined power of Yuko Ichihara and Clow Reed Mokona won an award in xxxHolic for best mascot. See Awards for other xxxHolic awards and prizes. Haruka Dōmeki Haruka is Shizuka Domeki's deseased grandfather. While living, he was a priest that could see spirits and other supernatural beings. He died in old age but through strange events, Haruka has been able to visit Watanuki Kimihiro in dreams and give him good advice. He looks exactly like his grandson, Shizuka. Kohane Tsuyuri Kohane is a nine year old girl ( when she first appears) though she ages throughout the series. Like Watanuki Kimihiro, she has the ability to see spirits and exorcise them. Over time, Kohane has become like a sister to Watanuki and a grand part of everyone's life. She is caAn important characteristic of xxxHolic is its connection to other CLAMP series. This literary device is known as crossover. Some of those which are shown in xxxHolic are: * The thirteenth chapter of the manga is related to one of Tsubasa: Reservoir Chronicle, sharing the same scene from the viewpoints of the characters of each series. These two mangas are closely related, they have numerous crossovers between them. * In Chapter 9 Yūko says the same as Tōya and Kaho Mizuki, " Coincidences do not exist, only the inevitable." * Watanuki, Syaoran, Sakura (Cardcaptor Sakura, xxxHOLiC and Tsubasa: Reservoir Chronicle) as Seishiro Sakurazuka (Tokyo Babylon) have birthdays on the same day: April 1. *The tale "City with no People" from Chobits appears in the series in Volume 3, Chapter 2 (part 1). *In chapter 11, the energy that captures the black Mokona is sent to Syaoran to the Kingdom of Koryo when they fight a sorcerer who uses a magic called Hijitsu. *In a chapter of the manga, go to places like the bakery Duklyon and Piffle Princess. *The movie, Tsubasa Chronicle: The Princess in the Country of Birdcages (劇場 版 ツバサ クロニクル 鳥 カゴ の 国 の 姫君, Tsubasa Gekijōban Kuronikuru Torikago Himegumi no Kuni no?), crosses over with the movie of × × × HOLiC, Yūko gets a message from Syaoran from the Birdcage Kingdom, in which he asks for help to open a cage. She sends a key and receives in return a bell of Princess Tomoyo, symbol of the lineage of her kingdom. This meeting takes approximately 30 seconds. *When Watanuki goes to the pharmacy of the protagonists of Lawful Drug. *When Yūko speaks about Subaru Sumeragi of ''Tokyo Babylon. *In the last chapter of the second season you can see characters from other CLAMP series. *Tsubasa Volume 26-27 reveals the peculiar bond with Watanuki is Syaoran and the characters in Cardcaptor Sakura. *In Volume 6 of the manga, Watanuki has to deliver some birds whose wings refer to Clover. In that same volume, the gentleman whom he delivers the birds has several badges similar to those of Fei Wong from Tsubasa: Reservoir Chronicle. *After the end of the manga Tsubasa: Reservoir Chronicle and from Chapter 186 of Volume 16, xxxHolic was renamed xxxHolic · Rou ('cage'), not just the caption Rou is a big change, but also the argument, and is different from what we've seen. *It is noteworthy that xxxHolic, as is known, ends in Chapter 185, so it is said that xxxHolic has also finished, but continues in xxxHolic · Rou considering the 186 as the first chapter of xxxHolic · Rou. *Clamp announced a new series called XxxHOLiC Rei will begin in FebruaryRei Media Manga See also: Manga Volumes Guide The chapters of the seinen manga series xxxHolic ''are written and illustrated by Clamp and have been serialized in ''Weekly Young Magazine ''since 2003 and published in volumes under the KC Deluxe label. The individual chapters are collected and released in ''tankōbon format by Kodansha, with 17 volumes released as of January 2010. The series, which ties in strongly with another of Clamp's series, Tsubasa Reservoir Chronicle, revolves around Kimihiro Watanuki, a high-school student employed by Yuko Ichihara at her wish-granting shop. It is currently published in the United States by Del Rey Manga and the first nine volumes were published in the United Kingdom by Tanoshimi. Currently, the series are published in the Bessatu Shonen Magazine. Anime See also: List of xxxHolic episodes The first season of TV anime adaptation of xxxHolic began airing on TBS on April 6, 2006 in Japan and ended on September 28, 2006, with 24 episodes in total. Both the film and the anime series are directed by Tsutomu Mizushima. Ageha Ohkawa, Clamp's director and main scriptwriter, is executive producer of the TV series. Due to differing studios licensed for the anime, the plot is not as complete as the manga, mainly with the Tsubasa Reservoir Chronicle and Cardcaptor Sakura references being removed. The second season, xxxHolic: Kei (xxxHOLiC◆継, Horikku: Kei?), began airing on TBS on April 3, 2008 in Japan and ended on June 26, 2008, with 13 episodes in total. "Kei", in Japanese, means "sequel", however the main staff and cast remains the same as in the first season. On January 26, 2009, the series made its North American debut on the FUNimation Channel. Movie (A Mid-Summer Night's Dream) The movie '''×××HOLiC - A Midsummer Night's Dream ( 劇場版 ×××HOLiC 真夏ノ夜ノ夢, Gekijōban Horikku Manatsu no Yoru no Yume?) begins when Kimihiro Watanuki is walking home with spirits chasing him until his friends Doumeki and Himawari arrive. The plot unfolds when Yuko, Watanuki and Domeki arrive to perform a task at a house, the which won't let in its owner, not even with her key. The three characters will have to go through difficult tests to discover the real danger inside the house and finish their task. It premiered on August 20, 2005 alongside Tsubasa Chronicle the Movie: The Princess of the Birdcage Kingdom, and it crosses over with this last one. The DVD version was released on February 25, 2006. The title is a reference to William Shakespeare's A Midsummer Night's Dream. OVAs A two-DVD OVA, entitled xxxHOLiC Shunmuki (xxxHOLiC 春夢記, xxxHOLiC Shunmuki?) (xxxHOLiC Spring Dreams Chronicle) were announced for xxxHolic, alongside the Tsubasa Shunraiki OVAs. *'xxxHolic Shunmuki Zenpen' (×××HOLiC 春夢記 ＜前編＞) Episode 1 "The First Part". Released on February 17, 2009 with Volume 14. Watanuki has a request from Haruka from the Dream World. *'xxxHolic Shunmuki Kouhen' (×××HOLiC 春夢記 ＜後編＞) Episode 2 "The Latter Part". Relased on June 23, with the Limited Edition of Volume 17. Watanuki enters Dream World and finds Princess Sakura. *'xxxHOLiC・Rou' (‘cage’) (×××HOLiC 籠, Horikku Rou?) Released on April 23, 2010 with Volume 17. Ten years after Yūko's dissapearance, Watanuki becomes the store's owner and continues his life to grant Yūko's wish. Category:Content Category:Article stubs